


You Don't Need Vision to See

by thnksfrthwilliam



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angely bits, Blind Character, Blindness, Chuck is a narrator, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-22
Updated: 2012-08-22
Packaged: 2017-11-12 16:32:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/493358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thnksfrthwilliam/pseuds/thnksfrthwilliam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam has never hated the cards that life dealt to him as much as he hates them now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Don't Need Vision to See

**Author's Note:**

> Was originally gonna be my minibang, but I gave up on the idea. The first half-ish is in present tense and is technically narrated by Chuck (I = Chuck) because the whole fic was going to have bits and pieces of Chuck’s thoughts on Sam and Gabriel’s relationship.

Sam is 16 when he loses his sight. During a hunt for a particularly bitchy sea witch, Sam gets hit in the eyes with a splash of her acidic saliva. Dean stabs her immediately after the incident and rushes Sam to a hospital, but it’s too late- Sam Winchester’s vision is gone for good. He’s frustrated and angry for months afterwards, walking into side tables and knocking over lamps when he simply wants to go to bed or get some food. Dean tries to be helpful by letting Sam hold his shoulder when they walk, but it weighs on Dean’s mind as well. How is Sam supposed to continue being a hunter without his vision? How is he even supposed to finish school?

 

He is 22 when he meets Gabriel for the first time. His blindness is less of an issue now, at least during hunts. He has his white cane and he has 6 years of practice under his belt. His hearing picks up things Dean’s doesn’t and he can beat the shit out of unsuspecting monsters with his cane (that Dean had reinforced with steel). He can’t do as much in the research department anymore (there are few ancient texts that come in braille, sadly), but he can hunt and he still does so, always at his brother’s side. He first meets Gabriel when the shorter man is under the guise of a janitor for a university. Sam hears his steps and can tell he is a slight man who walks with such confidence he could be mistaken for a king. Sam can smell the scent of chocolate in the air and gives a small smirk;  the man clearly has a sweet tooth. And despite not being able to see a thing, Sam knows (from the laugh that fills the room to the way the man’s steps indicate that he walks like he’s royalty dancing at a gala) that he really likes this guy.

 

Sam’s a little crushed when they have to stab him (I wasn’t pleased that they stabbed one of my children either, but at least I knew that he wasn’t truly dead). When Gabriel reveals his true identity, Sam likes him all the more. And that liking grows into lusting, as the feeling is apt to act in humans. They fall into bed together after a particularly stressful hunt (Sam had gotten stabbed, but Gabriel had been there to smite the demon that did it and to heal Sam). They agree, afterwards, that it was a onetime thing. They aren’t together, they simply had no-strings-attached sex. That agreement lasted two days (I can’t count the number of humans who say their relations were simply carnal then rethink their decision within the week- it’s equal parts astounding and reassuring).

 

They never formally decide that they are dating, but when Gabriel starts bringing Sam books in Braille that have never actually been published in Braille and flowers known for their beautiful fragrances rather than eye-catching appearances, it’s pretty clear that they are more than just a forgotten one night stand.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sam still had little idea of what Gabriel's face looked like. He had touched the smaller man everywhere else, learned the shape of him (and in the process, the spots that made Gabriel gasp in pleasure). But whenever he went to touch Gabe's face, to try learn his lover's features, Gabriel stopped him.

 

Sam was frustrated. He tried asking Gabe to describe what he looked like, so Sam had something to go off of, but every time Sam asked, the description given by Gabriel changed so comically that Sam knew he was just being played with. He hated that Gabriel was keeping his visage a secret. It was the first time in years that Sam got angry (then bitter) over his lack of vision. The thought that kept haunting Sam as his relationship with Gabriel continued was that Gabe was only using him for sex (what other reason would an archangel have to stick around with such a broken example of humanity?). No matter how sweet and loving Gabriel was, Sam couldn't help his worry that Gabe would leave him in a second for someone with sight (or honestly, anyone else- Sam couldn’t understand why Gabriel would choose him over any other person on this planet or the next).

 

Sam tried not to show how hurt he was every time Gabriel stopped the human’s hands from mapping out his face. He figured he just wasn't worth it to the archangel. Not worth the time and energy to give Sam a few minutes to just see (in the only way he could ever ‘see’) what he looked like.

 

When Gabriel stopped him for the third time in one week, Sam finally broke.

 

"Just go, Gabe."

 

"What? Sam, I-"

 

" _Gabriel_. Leave. If I don't mean enough to you for you to let me do this then I don't want you here. I don't want this."

 

"Hey- kiddo, shhh," Gabriel murmured, kissing Sam's temple. "Let's talk before you go kicking me out, okay?"

 

Sam grumbled, but nodded.

 

"Okay." Gabriel smiled, running gentle fingers through Sam’s hair. "Okay, you're upset that I won't let you touch my face, huh?"

 

Sam sighed, hating how stupid that sounded.

 

"Do you know why I won't let you? Helpful hint, Sammy, it's not because I don't like you."

 

"Then what is it? I just want to know what you look like, Gabriel. Please."

 

Gabriel smiled, kissing Sam's forehead.

 

"This is just a vessel, gorgeous- it's not- it's not  _me_. I figure you don't really need to know what this silly form looks like."

 

Sam rested his forehead against Gabriel's shoulder, sighing.

 

"I can let you touch me though- the real me," the angel murmured in Sam's ear. "My true form, Sammy. Do you know how intimate that is?"

 

Sam shook his head, listening intently.

 

"Most intimate thing I could ever show you. Just a glimpse of an angel's true form could kill a human, Sam. But here's the kicker. Because you can't see with your eyes- which I know you worry is gonna drive me away, Sammy, but it's just the opposite- because you can't see with your eyes, I can let you 'see' my true form. You can touch, just like you want to. But it'll really be me, not just a meat suit I'm wearing."

 

Sam was speechless. He had been expecting rejection, not this. Gabriel nuzzled him, sighing.

 

"I'm sorry I made you think I didn't want you, beautiful."

 

The angel smiled.

 

"Now c'mere, I want you to touch me."

 

Sam smiled, kissing Gabriel's jaw. Gabe moved away a little, sitting on the mattress just out of Sam's reach for now.

 

"Don't move, Sam. I'll tell you when it's okay."

 

Sam nodded, facing the direction that he heard Gabriel's voice coming from. Gabe smiled, closing his eyes and concentrating, shedding his vessel and allowing his true form to fill the room. Sam waited for the go ahead, feeling the shift in the room, the pure energy flowing around him. Gabriel's voice, sounding distant, told Sam to touch.

 

And Sam did.

 

He found the shape of Gabriel's form, hearing the familiar gasps of his name as he did so. Sam grinned, fingers trailing through the energy that was Gabe.

 

"This is really you, huh? I'm dating a big ball of pure energy?"

 

Gabriel's laugh (and the way the energy seemed to squeeze around him gently, like an embrace) made Sam laugh too.

 

"Sam Winchester, I show you my most intimate parts and you crack a joke," Gabriel's voice said, smile evident in the words.

 

"Says the guy who asked me if I would be running in the Kentucky Derby that year the first time he saw my cock," Sam replied, grinning.

 

Gabriel chuckled and Sam could feel his joy radiating out of the energy around him.

 

"You're the first non-angel who I've ever done this for, kiddo. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

 

Sam smiled.

 

"I- I-" he paused, not wanting to ruin the moment with a statement he might not like the reaction to.

 

"You what, Sammy? C'mon, you can tell me."

 

"I- I love you, Gabriel," Sam said, voice soft and cheeks pink.

 

The silence that followed made Sam wilt, all that happiness he had been feeling disappearing. He went to get up, but a bit of energy gently nudged him back down.

 

"Hey, don't leave- I love you too, Sam."

 

Sam sat still, waiting for Gabriel to elaborate. The angel chuckled fondly.

 

"You think I'd give this to just anyone? Even if I could do it without risking someone's sight, I wouldn't. Like I said, kiddo, this is intimate."

 

Sam nodded, struck dumb for the second time that night, finally catching on to just how much Gabriel must trust and love him to have given him this opportunity. The energy caressed Sam's cheek and Sam brightened, smiling.

 

"You love me..." he murmured, still in a state of awe.

 

"I do, Sammy. I know I'm shit at showing you that- I've always been horrible at opening up about feelings and things like that- but I do love you."

 

Sam smirked, leaning into the caress. 

 

"I think I'm gonna get back into my vessel, Sammy. As nice as this feels, I can't be out like this for too long without attracting attention from unsavory folks."

 

Sam nodded, sighing as the energy dissipated and the bed shifted as Gabriel stretched his vessel.

 

"We can do that again sometime, if you want," Gabe said, sliding over to kiss Sam's cheek.

 

Sam smiled. "I'd like that a lot, Gabe."

 

Gabriel grinned, taking Sam's hands and gently placing them on his cheeks.

 

"Here- now that you've seen the real me, you might as well see this old thing too."

 

Sam's smile was enough to make Gabriel fall in love all over again.


End file.
